Trinidad to host SIDS 2.0 conference

PORT-OF-SPAIN (CMC:)

Trinidad and Tobago will host a high-level conference on Tuesday, aimed at supporting decision and policy makers, civil society and innovators to define what a Small Island Digital State (SIDS 2.0) requires, and identify the pathways to achieve it.

The one-day event will be held under the theme ‘SIDS 2.0: Defining the pathway for Small Island Digital States in the Caribbean’.

The organisers said that the meeting will focus on five dimensions, namely infrastructure, government, cybersecurity and regulatory framework, economy, and people.

“The expected outcome will include an initial agreement on key benchmarks and metrics to be achieved by countries and the region in each of the five dimensions, with regards to the digital agenda taking into consideration south-south coordination mechanisms, partners, and service suppliers to support these efforts,” according to a statement issued here by the Ministry of Digital Transformation.

The ministry said that the region has recognised the importance of digitalisation for development and its critical role in promoting resilient prosperity, enhancing economic growth, improving access to public services, and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

“To this end, the Ministry of Digital Transformation has partnered with UNDP, IDB and CAF, to host a High-Level Conference which will help Caribbean countries advance a vision for Digitalization across the region,” it added.

The conference will be opened by Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Digital Transformation Hassel Bacchus, and will be attended by senior representatives of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the CAF Development Bank .